In a magnetic memory device using magnetoresistive elements (MTJ elements (magnetic tunnel junction elements) with perpendicular magnetization, a shift cancelling layer is provided to cancel a magnetic field from a reference layer which is applied to a storage layer. In this case, to reliably cancel the magnetic field applied to the storage layer, the shift cancelling layer needs to be thick.
However, when MTJ elements are miniaturized as a result of high integration of magnetic memory devices, processing (pattering) the MTJ elements is very difficult. This in turn makes production of magnetic memory devices with desired characteristics difficult.
Thus, a magnetic memory device has been desired which can exhibit desired characteristics in spite of the miniaturized MTJ elements.